Panel fastener



Jan. 4, 1938.

J.- H. BATES PANEL FAS TENER Filed April 12, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

A ORNEY Jan. 4, 1938.

J. H. BATES PANEL FASTENER Filed April 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PANEL FASTENEB Jesse H.Bates, Wauwatosa, Wia, assignor to Hamischfeger Corporation, Milwaukee,Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 12, 1937, Serial No.136,428

Claims.

This'invention has to do with means for fastening panels suitable foruse as the walls of dwellings or other enclosures. Invention residesspecifically in a form or panel structure and lock- 5 ing means in whichthe panel is formed of two face-to-iace sheets of building material withan air space, or insulating space, thcrebetween. A

skeleton framework for holding said sheet material in spaced relationforms an outer margin extending around the periphery of said panel. Thelocking means, for joining similar panels edge-to-edge consists ofmembers which project from the margin of one panel through registeringapertures in the margin of ,the skeleton frame of an adjacent panel andarodinserted through a an appropriate opening in the skeleton frameworkof the panel through which said members project, the rod beingpositively and securely guided through said projecting members by funnelguides secured to the interior surfaces of the skeleton frame of thepanel into which said rod is inserted. In this way the panels aresecurely locked together by a means which is enclosed, protected fromthe. weather, and ob soured from sight.

requirements been met. In many of the easily assembled forms the joiningof one well section to another is accomplished by sliding means 40 whichhold the edges of the section close to one another effectively. butwhich do not effectively lock the panels against edgewise movement. Inother methods of assembly employed, although an effective lockingtogether of the panels is 4-5 secured, it is necessary to'have access tothe interior of the panels to'effect the joining of the members. Such anoperation has been ineffective and expensive and frequently gives riseto a construction which is not acceptable from. the 50 standpoint ofappearance. In contrast to this,

the construction of the present invention permits the assembling of oneportion of the enclosure with another in such a way that the parts aresecurely locked against movement both 55 lengthwise and endwise and atthe same time the assembly is accomplished without access to theinterior of the panel. This and'other advantages of the construction ofthis invention will appear as the description proceeds.

'The invention is best described by reference -5 .to the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 shows an enclosure in process of erection,employing panels constructed in accordance with this invention,- thepanels being shown in perspective with portions broken away; 10

Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective, showing a portion of 'twoadjacent panelsbeing locked together, portions being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at 'the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2; l5

.its upper surface. Beneath the channel 2 and secured thereto-andadjacent to the apertures 3 are funnel guides, not shown but which willbe described in detail in connection with other parts of the structure.

Rising vertically from the channel 2 are panels 4, 5, 6, l, and 8. Thesepanels, of the flat box type,are similar in general structure and areformed upon a skeleton framework 9 such as is shown in detail in Fig. 4where the frame 35 work is shown free of the sheet-covering material.Referring now to Fig. 4, the skeleton framework 9 is seen to be composedof a pair of upright channels Ill and H, joined at their upper ends bythe top channel [2 and at their -lower 4 ends by the lower' channel l3.Additional bracing it may be employed, as shown. The channels III, II,l2, l3, and I4 may be formed from bent plates and welded at the cornersas indicated by the welds IS. The bracing I4 is provided with anopeningat its left-hand end "It for purposes which will be describedlater.

Projecting from the surface of the channel H are a series of staples l'llocated in predetermined location. The staples H are firmly joined tothe channel ll by passing the same through a slot, as shown clearly inFig. 3, and additionally by welding the ends of the staple to the insideofchanne'l II. as shown by the weld l8. Returning now to Fig. 4, it willbe noted that a A plurality of funnel-shaped guiding members I! aresecured to the inner face of the channel I 0. Positioned directly belowthese funnel guides I! are apertures 20. The aperture 20 is in the formof a slot of suilicient size to admit the end of a staple H, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 3. Shown in detail in Fig. 5 is the manner in whichthe funnel guide I9, is held in place against the inside face of thechannel l by means of welds 2|, as well as the relationship of the slot20 to the funnelguide is. Again referring to Fig. 4,

it will be noted that directly above the funnel guide I! and in the topchannel i2. an aperture 22 is provided. Furthermore, projectingdownwardly from the lower channel ii, are staples i'l, similar in allrespects to staples I! described in connection with the side channel ll.

Returning now to Fig. 1, the panel. 4 is shown being locked in position.It has been placed upon the channel 2 with the staples ll protrudingdownwardly into apertures 3 thereof. At the same time staples l1,rigidly secured to the righthand side channel of panel 5, protrudethrough channel it. A rod 23 is shown being driven into place, passingthrough the aperture 22 and extending downwardly until its point appearsin the broken portion in panel 4, at which point it is shown just havingpassed through funnel guides II and staples l1. It will be noted thateach side of the skeleton frame a is faced with sheet material 24 and25. The sheet material 24 may be durable, weatherproof, outsidewall-board and the sheet material 25 may be a wall-board appropriate forinterior uses. Although the sheet material fastened firmly in place uponthe skeleton frame 0 precludes access to the interior for the purpose offastening one panel to the other, a complete and satisfactory locking ofthe panels issecured.. If desired, the space between the outside and theinside wall-board may be packed with suitable heat-insulating material.

The manner in which the rod 22 passes through the funnel guides i9 andengages staples I! to secure the panels together is shown in greaterdetail in Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 2 the rod 23 is shown having passedthrough a-funnel guide I! and a staple II. The staple I1 is shownprotruding through slot 20 from an adjacent panel.

In Fig. 3 the left-hand upright channel "I and the right-hand uprightchannel H of an adjacent panel are shown face-to-face with the staplei'l protruding through the opening 20 in the channel III. The rod 23 isshown engaging the staple l1 and it is to be noted that the diameter ofthe rod 22 and the dimensions of the staple I! are so proportioned thatthe rod 23 in passing through staple II presses against the same toinsure a positive pulling together of the panels Ill and II.

Returning now to Fig. 1, it will be noted that a series-of panels, aspointed out previously, are in place. The lower ends of the panels maybe held securely to the channel 2 by a rod 24 passed endwisehorizontally through the channel 2 engaging staples projectingdownwardly from the upright channel. Although not shown, funnel guidesIt may be secured to the interior of the channel 2 in the same manner asshown in Fig. 2. At the corner of the dwelling may be placed a cornerpost 21, which may be provided with appropriate channels, slots, andstaples, together with appropriate guide funnels so that panels may bejoined thereto to form a secure and satisfactory juncture at the corner.If desired, the corner post 21 may be provided with staples only,

the same facing in both directions, in which case panels and. 6 adjacentthereto may be appropriately constructed to be joined thereto. As shown,provision of an opening 26 may be made, as in panel I, or a paneladapted for any special purpose desired may be provided. A suitableroof, or covering, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, may beput in place in any manner desired.

The structure as above described provides a method of erecting andfastening building units in which the locking or fastening means areentirely enclosed and in which it is unnecessary to gain access to theinterior of the unit to obtain desired looking or fastening. Thefastening is accomplished by passing a rod into the interior of theunit, said rod engaging members which project through openings fromadjacent units.

In addition, the engagement of the rod with the projecting element isinsured by guiding members.

While a specific form of the structure of this invention' has been shownand described, it is intended that the protection to be granted hereonbe not unnecessarily restricted thereby, but shall extend to the fullscope of the invention as represented by the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

That which I claim as my invention and wish to secure by Letters Patentis as follows:

1. In a building unit, the combination comprising a skeleton frame,sheet material covering the faces of said frame to form a flat boxpanel, staples projecting from a portion of the margin of said skeletonframe at predetermined locations, apertures in a, portion of the marginof said skeleton frame spaced at predetermined locations for the purposeof admitting staples of an adjacent building unit, an opening foradmitting a locking rod in alignment with said apertures, funnel guidessecured to the interior of said skeleton frame adjacent said aperturesand disposed on the side thereof nearest said opening for admission ofsaid locking rod for the purpose of insuring the entrance of saidlocking rod into the loop of the staples of an adjacent building unit.

2. A joint for joining, adjacent flat box panel units comprising a panelhaving projecting members along the margin thereof, a second panelhaving apertures registerable with said projecting members andaccommodating the same therein, guiding means within said second panelin alignment with said apertures, an opening in the margin of saidsecond panel for admission of a locking rod, and a locking rodintroducible through said opening and passing through said guiding meansand engaging said protruding members in the interior of said secondpanel.

3. A joint for joining adjacent building units comprising a unit havingprojecting members along the margin thereof, a second hollow unit havingapertures registerable with said projecting members and accommodatingthe same therein, guiding means within said second hollow unit inalignment with said apertures, an opening in the margin of said secondhollow unit for admission of a locking rod, and a locking rodintroducible through said opening and passing through said guiding meansand engaging said protruding members in the interior of said secondhollow member.

4. A joint for joining adjacent building units comprising a unit havingprojecting staples along the margin thereof, a second hollow unit havingslots registerable with said projecting staples and accommodating thesame therein, funnel guides secured to the interior of said secondhollow amuse 3 10 slots registerable with said staples and accommodatingthe same therein, tunnel guides secured within said second panel inalignment with said slots, an opening in the margin of said 'secondpanel for admission of a locking rod, and a locking'rod introduciblethrough said, opening and passing through said tunnel guides andengaging said staples in the interior of said second panel. v

mass 11-; BATES. 10

